For Better of Worse
by MonarqueMyste
Summary: Limburger strikes again after a quiet spell and this time he thinks he can finally rid himself of our brave furry heros by using Charley. Boy, is he in for a major surprise when Throttle turns the tables on him.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Spring Cleaning

Charley sat down at the kitchen table, with the intention of paying off various bills that were due. Vinnie was lying down across the couch watching a football game and chugging down another root beer...his fourth in thirty minutes to be exact. Modo was sitting on a stool in the garage polishing his bike...for the last hour. And Throttle...well...let's just say Charley was admiring his backside was he cooked lunch on her stove, under her constant supervision.

Throttle was the only one out of the three fur-balls that she trusted with her new stove. Vinnie and Modo blew up her other stove while trying to cook hot dogs and onion rings. More along the lines of a shooting match because the stove was not heating up fast enough to satisfy their empty bellies so they decided to add their own fire to the stove. Big mistake on both their parts.

By the time Throttle and Charley got back from running errands, half the kitchen was destroyed and smelled about as bad as Limburger did on a good day. They ended up staying at the scoreboard while Modo and Vinnie cleaned up their mess.

It took both those boys about a month to work off the damages and to pay for the contractors that Charley originally paid for to repair her demolished kitchen.

During that time, Throttle proved himself to be a passable cook, even though he still asked a couple of questions when it came to a new recipe in the cookbook that Charley had purchased that day in order to experiment with some new dinner ideas.

Even though Charley and Throttle were not dating, they had fallen into a routine since they were both single and very close friends. Charley felt as though Vinnie had some major growing up to do before he could even find himself in a committed relationship. Throttle and Carbine had grown apart over the years and the war had taken a toll on the both of them. So, they opted to lead separate lives and move on.

Since then, Throttle assisted Charley in the garage and helped her run errands in town. There were times when he stayed at the scoreboard and there were other times that he would spend the night on her couch, either watching a movie until he fell asleep or by reading a book that Charley would borrow from the library.

Some mornings, after he spent the night, Charley would wake up to the smell of pancakes or eggs or toast and bacon. They were pretty simple tasks that Throttle would do without any assistance.

Today being Saturday, business was rather slow. So Charley closed up shop and decided to get some long overdue work done. But, they all agreed to do so after lunch. In fact, she had a list of chores that were broken down between the four of them:

_Vinnie – clean and organize the living room (this includes dusting the furniture and cleaning between the seat cushions)_

_Modo – clean and organize the shop (including making sure all the tools are wiped down and put away neatly)_

_Throttle – Clean and organize the kitchen (you know what needs to be done)_

_Modo and Vinnie – Thoroughly clean and sterilize the bathrooms (including the toilet)_

_Throttle and Charley – Clean and straighten up the upstairs_

Overall, she didn't think the list was going to be that complicated for the guys to do today. They all knew in the back of their minds that this spring cleaning was long overdue. But, there was always something else that came up that prevented them from being able to accomplish these tasks...Limburger. For the last week, he had been very quiet and that had them a little suspicious. But, they also decided that they were not about to look a gift horse in the mouth and considered it a blessing.

As Charley finished filling out the last of the checks and placing them into the bill envelopes, Throttle was finishing up on lunch and putting the food on their plates. Today, he made bacon burgers and home fries.

"Wow, I aught to buy you an apron" Charley commented when she saw some grease on his vest as he proceeded to wipe it off.

"Thanks but it might ruin my macho image" Throttle chuckled as he finished wiping himself off.

"I doubt anything could ruin your macho image" she said and as soon as the words came out of her mouth, Charley blushed. She hadn't meant to state the obvious but, she did. But, she didn't want him to know that she had feelings for him. Charley felt as though it was too soon for the both of them and she was not ready for him to know how she felt about him.

"Huh?" Throttle questioned, thinking that Charley was commenting on his appearance in a way that was more than just a friendship. He had to be honest with himself, Charley had been on his mind a lot lately but he was not about to cross that line. It was too soon.

"Nothing" Charley said as she lowered her eyes back to the table and finished sealing the envelopes.

Throttle let it go but he made a mental note to himself to ask Charley again later on.

As he turned around to put the plates onto to kitchen table, his attention turned to Charley and her envelopes. She had picked up the wrong ones but couldn't be bothered to return them for the self-sticking ones. So, she resigned herself with the task of having to lick all the envelopes. His thoughts drifted to the tip of her pink tongue moistening each envelope and then using her fingers to seal them. He just wished it had not been so soon since they each became single and he might have been tempted to make a comment about how intensely provocative her her actions were at that moment.

Throttle shook his head and carried out the task that he was trying to get accomplished but his dirty mind kept holding him back. Finally, gritting his teeth and dropping his eyes to the table, he was finally able to carry out the task at hand.

"Hey bros!!!! Lunch!" Throttle called and not thirty seconds later, Modo and Vinnie were racing through the shop and into the kitchen, each one of them trying to beat the other one to the table.

"Hey guys, how many times do I have to remind you not to run in the house. You're liable to break something" Charley used her mother tone of voice as she reprimanded the two of them. She could sometimes swear that the two of them were going to starve to death even they didn't beat the other one to the table.

"Hey babe, we're just trying to stay in shape" Vinnie stated as he sat down and began to shovel the burger into his mouth as fast as he could.

"Sorry Charley ma'am. Just very hungry" Modo apologized as he ate his burger with obvious enjoyment.

"Charley" Throttle said as he handed her a plate and sat down on the other side of the table, between Modo and Vinnie. So far, neither of them suspected a thing between the two of them and he didn't want to start having them think that he might hold some feelings for their mechanic friend.

He knew that Charley had broken up with Vinnie about two months ago because she knew he wasn't ready for a relationship.

Throttle and Carbine broke up about the same time. They still spoke to one another but not in a romantic way. It was funny because they both felt the same way about where their relationship was heading and knew that they would be better off not being together like that. Neither one of them were hurt by the loss of the other one.

"Thanks" Charley said as she watched Throttle sit down on the other side.

She enjoyed the time that they spent together but never made a move to indicate that she wanted their friendship to go further than that. She was content having him around and she felt that maybe he might be feeling the same way to but was feeling as though that it might be to soon for either of them to pursue a new relationship, especially with each other.

"You're welcome" Throttle said as he focused his attention on his food so he would not have his judgment clouded by the auburn haired female sitting across from him.

As Vinnie and Modo chattered away, one trying to outdo the other, Throttle and Charley would take occasional glances at each other and smile before returning their attention back to their lunch.

"Ah man! We've got bathroom duty" Vinnie whined when he saw the list.

"Yep, that you do" Charley chuckled softly.

"Now you can't expect this studly looking mouse to clean the toilet" Vinnie said as he gave Charley his most pathetic look.

"You use it don't you?" it was meant to be a rhetorical statement.

"Yeah, but..." Vinnie could not think of anything to say.

"Not butts, you two are on bathroom duty" Charley stated as she stood up and put her plate in the sink.

"That stinks" Vinnie complained.

"Yes, it does" Charley chuckled as she pinched her nose before leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs to work on her bedroom. She heard the guys moping about their chores before finally clearing the table and starting their assigned tasks.

She sighed heavily before staring at the massive task in front of her. Her bedroom looked as though a bomb had been dropped in it. Her dirty clothes were scattered all over the floor. Her dresser draws were hanging half way out. Her closet had bunches of empty hangers in it. There were layers of dust all over everything, including her special chest that sat in the floor of the closet.

Her father had made that chest for her just after she was born and her mother had placed many special things in it for her when she got older. They both told her that she could only open it when the right man came along and asked for her hand in marriage. Charley had yet to find that special guy so the chest remained closed. She had a general idea of hat was in it because her mother had referred to it as her hope chest.

Charley had her doubts on being able to find the right man to marry her. She was to strong willed for just about any man out their and what man would be willing to compete with her three best friends who just happen to be aliens from another plant. Yep, she could see that going over like a fart in church on both sides. Her getting married was not going to happen anytime soon.

"Oh, I will be inspecting after you guys are done" Charley called down the stairs as she started to pick up her dirty clothes and throw them down the stairs, nearly hitting Modo.

"Oops, sorry about that big fella" Charley humbly apologized as she continued to try and put her room back together.

"Hey, I was wondering where you ran off to!" Charley stated as she found her radio alarm clock and placed it back on her nightstand. She decided to put some tunes on to hopefully make her cleaning duty less annoying. She scanned through the radio stations before she finally found a song that she hadn't heard a long while. It was an old Bonnie Raitt song;

People are talkin, talking 'bout people  
I hear them whisper, you won't believe it  
They think we're lovers kept under covers  
I just ignore it, but they keep saying  
We laugh just a little too loud  
We stand just a little too close  
We stare just a little too long  
Maybe they're seeing, something we don't, Darlin'  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love?  
I feel so foolish, I never noticed  
You'd act so nervous, could you be falling for me?  
It took a rumor to make me wonder  
Now I'm convinced I'm going under  
Thinking 'bout you every day  
Dreaming 'bout you every night  
Hoping that you feel the same way  
Now that we know it, let's really show it, Darlin'  
Let's give them something to talk about  
A little mystery to figure out  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love, love, love, love?  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
Let's give them something to talk about  
How about love, love, love, love?

Charley found herself singing to the lyrics as she continued to throw more of her dirty clothes down the stairs. As she started to strip her bed, Throttle climbed up the ladder and saw Charley bent over the bed, tearing the blankets off and singing.

"Need some help sweetheart" Throttle cleared his throat as he watched the way her jeans moved against her bottom while she was bent over.

"I accept any offerings, especially ones that involve cleaning" Charley stated with a chuckle as she stood up and handed Throttle her sheets and blanket. He took the hint from her growing pile at the bottom that he just needed to toss it down. It had been a while since he had been up into her bedroom and it was the first time he had noticed that there was a chest in her closet, but then again, she always kept her closet door closed.

"What's up with that chest?" Throttle questioned.

"That chest? My father made it for more the year I was born and my mom filled it with all sorts of things. I don't know exactly what's in it nor do I want to know at this point in time" Charley calmly stated as she slid under her bed and started pulling boxes out.

"For as long as the guys and I have known you, you have never once spoken of your mother and father" Throttle said as he saw Charley drag out five boxes full of stuff.

"You never asked" she laughed as she started to open up one of the boxes.

"Would you mind telling me about them?" Throttle questioned.

"Not really. There's not much to tell" Charley sat Indian-style as she pulled out an old photo album and then opened it.

Throttle wasn't to sure if Charley was going to talk about her folks but he was very curious as to why they were not involved in her life. She never once received a phone call or a letter from them. There weren't any pictures in her room of them or anywhere in the garage. He felt that it was a little on the odd side.

Throttle looked over at Charley when he heard her start to sniffle. He could see her blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall from her turquoise eyes.

"Charley?" he asked as he sat down in front of her and placed a hand on the side of her face. He could see and feel the torment that was going through her mind and body. Charley was trying to be strong and not let her emotions overwhelm her.

"My father and mother...they're...dead" Charley choked out.

* * *

Well, what does everyone think about this chapter so far? If anyone can think of some changes that I need to make please let me know. It has been a while since I have done a bike mice from mars fiction.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Reflections of the Past

"That explains a lot" Throttle said, his voice nearly cracking with the thought that Charley shared a very common bond with him...the loss of both parents. Throttle cleared his throat as she began to speak.

"They died about six months before you guys arrived" Charley tried sober up with to no avail. The sadness kept washing over her.

"How?" Throttle questioned as he pulled his bandana off from around his neck and handed it to her.

"Thanks. It was a car crash. They were on their way back from the reservation when, supposedly, a drunk driver ran them off the road. But, I don't believe that because my dad was the best driver out there and there would be no way anyone could run him off the road" Charley suddenly grew angry as the last few words exited her mouth.

"What's a reservation?" Throttle asked, suddenly confused at the new word.

"My father grew up on one. In fact he was a full-blooded Native American. He was part of the Ogala Lakota and the descendant of Chief Red Cloud. He left the reservation believing that there was more to life than staying there because the people were starving and there was no help coming. My father left when he was eighteen and moved to Chicago. He started out working with Andy in order to earn money for a place to live, food in his belly, and to be able to put himself through school without any help from the government" Charley said with a small smile as she recalled all the tales that her father told her for bedtime stories.

"Sounds like you took right after your father when it came to putting your mind to something and doing it" Throttle chuckled as he leaned his back against her bed and Charley scooted over next to him and opened the photo album in her lap. He looked over at the pictures and saw pictures of the garage in its early stages and a very young dark skinned man working on the garage.

"That man is my father. He took night classes at the local college and completed his training in just under a year. He purchased the garage and opened it within two years after graduation. When my father wrote home to tell his mother and father about his success, he learned that his mother had passed away from influenza. He told me that he vowed to find a way to save his people from poverty. And he did. Every year, he made a trip with about twenty of the largest cows that he could get, my father would drive a large truck and trailer down to the reservation and they would celebrate and have a large feast that night. The next day, they would paint themselves and their horses up like they used to do many years ago and have the cows run so they could hunt them" Charley stated as she flipped through the pictures and showed Throttle one where there five men and their horses with paint all over themselves.

"I take it that this is a ritual of some sorts?" Throttle questioned as looked at the pictures and could make out some of the homes in the background. The houses looked old and dilapidated.

"Yes, among others that he participated in" Charley said with pride.

"What was your father's name?"

"He went by Jenner Davidson but on the reservation he was called Long Feather because when he decided to go on a vision quest he saw a very long feather in one of his visions. The medicine man told him that his name was to be Long Feather" Charley said.

"A vision quest?" Throttle had never heard of it.

"It's when the boys come of a certain age and go on a quest of manhood. They fast for several days and nights to bring themselves closer to the Great Spirit who then grants them a vision. Afterwords, there is a great celebration because now they are considered men. As they get older, some of the men do a Sun Dance ceremony. It's when they offer a sacrifice for prayer. My father offered his blood to help heal his father from an illness" Charley explained.

"I don't get it" Throttle said.

"The medicine man pierced my father's chest on either side. Then my father danced for a while, singing in his native language before ripping the skewers out" Charley smiled when she saw Throttle's expression.

"Ouch! I hope it was worth it" Throttle rubbed his chest, thinking about how someone could do that to themselves...willingly.

"My father said it was. He said that his father was cured the following morning" Charley's smile grew wide as she remembered her grandfather.

"Then it must have been. I don't think that I could do that. My chest hurts just thinking about it" Throttle stated.

"You should have seen my mother's face when she spoke about those scars" Charley chuckled at the thought of her mother's voice.

"What was your mother's name?"

"Jasmine Sinclair. They actually met on the reservation when my father was twenty-five. She was sent there to provide medical attention to the children there. My dad had just pulled up for the cattle run when he saw her helping his father into the office. My father said that he had never before seen a more beautiful angel than her. When he walked into her office to see what was going on, my father was unable to get any words out. My mother said that it must have been her nurse's uniform because anytime she wore it, my father lost his voice. He claims he felt as though he was not worthy enough to speak to an angel. Especially a flaming red-headed angel with eyes the color of turquoise" Charley laughed as she recalled the many times that her mother would deliberately put on her old uniform and her father would go silent until she changed.

"How did they actually get together?"

"My father got injured during the cattle run and was taken to her office. At that time, she was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He sprained his ankle and she treated him. That's when he asked her if he was in heaven because she must surely be an angel. She thought he was joking until he actually asked her out. She was actually engaged to a very wealthy lawyer and was to be married next year after she got back to New York. But, she couldn't resist my father's charm and wit, so she accepted his offer. My mother said that the lawyer was not her choice but her parents' choice and she really had no emotional ties to him. They continued to see each other over the next week and by the time he was getting ready to leave to head back to Chicago, they were already head-over-heels in love. They agreed to keep in touch with each other while she was there and when she returned to New York my mother informed her parents that she was not going to marry the lawyer as they had wanted her to. She told them that she found the man of her dreams and she was moving to Chicago to be with him" Charley said.

"That probably didn't go over to well, did it?" Throttle asked, laughing as he thought about how feisty both her parents were and how she followed right in their footsteps.

"No, it didn't. They disowned after she left. My mother and father married lived here in the garage. I was born about five years later and at the time of their death, they were getting ready to celebrate twenty-six years of marriage" Charley felt very melancholy about what she had told Throttle. He was the first person she had spoken to about the incident and her family's relationship since it happened.

"Why do you think it wasn't an accident?" Throttle asked.

"My father called me on his way back from the reservation and told me to leave a light on because they would be home late. I left the light on, locked up the garage, and went to bed. I woke up a few hours later from a nightmare about my mom and dad. It was as though I was there. It was about fifteen minutes later when a cop showed up and informed me that they were dead. It was ruled as an accident but I know it wasn't" Charley stated as she placed the photo album back in the box with the rest of the albums and slid it back under her bed, trying to mentally hide the past trauma.

"Do you know who did it?" Throttle questioned, using his softest tones to ease the anger and pain in Charley's eyes and in her heart.

"I don't know his name but I remember his face and his voice. I also recall the fact that in my dream he said, 'This will make the boss happy.'"

"I believe you, Charley-girl. I promise you that I will find out who did it and make them pay the price. It's the least I can do for as much as you've done for us" Throttle said as he opened his arms and Charley slid into them. She curled up on his lap and he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist. She laid her head against his shoulder and he rested his head on top of hers.

"Thank you" Charley murmured as she looked up at Throttle. She wasn't sure what exactly she was thanking him for but she figured it was for everything. For listening, understanding, caring, and holding her when she needed it most.

"You're welcome, sweetheart" Throttle hadn't meant to say that last part this early but, it slipped out. When he looked in her eyes, she smiled. Throttle leaned his forehead against hers and was getting ready to kiss her when...

"Hey! It's too quiet up there?" Vinnie shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"Crap!" Throttle and Charley cursed together and then laughed.

Charley slid slowly out of Throttle's embrace and walked over to the closet. She began to pick up the remainder of her dirty clothes and tossed them into the growing pile downstairs.

"I think it's laundry day" Modo commented.

He was actually curious as to why they were being so quiet but, he knew that if either of them wanted to tell they would. He knew that they were both single but neither of them ever once discussed having another relationship especially with each other. The way Modo looked at it, they would actually be good for each other and help heal the other one's wounds. But, he was not about to rush either of them into something that neither of them was ready for. He figured that he would allow them to figure it out on their own.

Now, he had to keep Vinnie's nose out of their business. That was not going to be an easy task, considering that he was notorious for butting into other peoples' business when it was not necessary.

"Yep, it's definitely laundry day" Charley agreed with the gray-furred mouse as she climbed down the ladder and looked at the growing pile before her.

"Here's mine!" Vinnie exclaimed as he piled more laundry into the pile.

Charley shook her head and proceeded to gather the laundry up into laundry baskets, preparing to make a trip to the laundromat. She gave all three of them a look that said that they would be joining her in this massive adventure. They complained a little bit but finally relented and each of them picked up a basket and put them onto the back of their bikes.

Charley grabbed several rolls of quarters and got onto her bike. She locked up the garage and they all headed to laundromat for a lengthy washing experience.

* * *

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews and hope everyone enjoyed reading this chapter. If there is anything that anyone thinks needs to be changed or explained better, feel free to let me know.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Dirty Laundry

After arriving at the laundromat, they unloaded four large, fully-loaded laundry baskets and half carried/half dragged them into the building.

Charley sighed with relief that there was no one else there. Vinnie and Modo spotted the game machines, dropped the laundry baskets onto the floor, and raced each other to them. Throttle look at Charley and shrugged his shoulders. Using his tail, he wrapped it around one of the baskets, and drug it over to the folding table.

"I'll get the baskets to help separate them" Charley stated as she grabbed two of the rolling metal sorter baskets and drug them over to where Throttle was.

"Beat that!" Vinnie shouted at the game.

"I'm gonna whip your tail!" Modo countered as they fought each other on the game.

"Kids" Charley chuckled as she and Throttle sorted through all the baskets of clothes and finally got everything separated . It was about fifteen loads of laundry between the four of them and that included sheets, pillowcases, and blankets from the garage and the scoreboard. She couldn't believe that the four of them could acquire that much laundry in one week. Charley was normally very good about keeping up with it but over the last week business had been booming and she had not been able to keep up with the growing pile of dirty clothes. Luckily, today had been dead and they had been able to get everything done except for the laundry, but that would be done before it was time to start cooking dinner.

As Charley looked at all the sorted laundry, she let loose another long heavy sigh of relief. She considered herself lucky that the laundromat was empty, except for themselves. There was just enough washers and dryers to do all the laundry at once and have it done quickly.

After Throttle and Charley tag-teamed the laundry and had all the washers going, they sat down on a bench outside. The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky. There was a slight breeze that kept the temperature cool and comfortable.

"So, now that you know about my family, why don't you tell me about yours" Charley suggested, turning herself to the side to face Throttle.

"Well, you already know that I was born on Mars. My father worked in one of the mines under Olympus Mons. His job was to gather lava rocks for heating our homes and for being able to cook with. My mother use to babysit for the working mothers. That's how I met Vinnie and Modo. I was about five when they started coming to the daycare. Modo was very quiet and big for his age. Vinnie was a live wire and stayed in trouble with my mom. One day, I just finally spoke my peace and let Vinnie know that he needed to start behaving himself if he knew what was good for him. After that, he still had his days, but not everyday" Throttle chuckled.

"Was he really that bad?" she asked.

"You know how he acts now. Try about a hundred times worse" he groaned.

"That's bad."

"Yep. But, after I confronted Vinnie about his behavior, Modo started to come around. He said I was a natural-born leader. Especially if I could regain control over Vinnie with just a few words. But, as you've seen, it's a never-ending task."

"I've noticed that" Charley softly laughed.

"Modo took a little bit more time for him to warm up to everyone else. After he did, he was very protective over the younger and smaller kids. He always spoke high;y over his mom and my mom. We never met Vinnie's mom because she died during childbirth and his dad raised him. His dad was alright but hardly ever around, like my dad. I guess his dad felt guilty for not spending a lot of time with him so, Vinnie got very spoiled and use to getting his way by being very loud and obnoxious. Modo lost his father in an accident, so he was completely raised by his mother. Or, as he likes to call her, 'his gray-furred mama'" Throttle explained, feeling surprisingly good about talking to Charley about his younger years, before the war started and changed everything.

"Sounds like you guys lost a lot but also gained a lot as well" she softly commented, feeling a closer bond with her tan-furred friend.

They had discussed the war many times before but not once had they ever talked about what happened before the destruction of his home planet. It was rather nice to have this kind of bonding without the constant interruption of Limburger trying to destroy everything around them or Vinnie butting in trying to add his own two cents worth.

"That's very true. Modo, Vinnie, and I grew up together and became very close friends, even throughout school. I met Carbine in school when I was about fifteen. The war started two years later and we decided to fight with the rest of the freedom fighters. We all lost our parents and other family members. The guys and I were captured and tortured by Carbunkle. There are so many times that I wished I could I could do to that mad scientist what he did to my people" Throttle clenched his fist and let out a heavy sigh. He knew, deep in his heart, that destroying Carbunkle would not solve anything.

"One of these days, Carbunkle will get whatever is coming to him. Karma has a way of coming back around. As long as he continues on the path that he is on, sooner or later it will come back around and he will pay the ultimate price for his evil ways. I just hope that we are around to witness the his downfall, along with the rest of Limburger's followers and leaders" Charley stated with an air of slight confidence.

"Do you really think so?" Throttle felt his voice start to crack as he heard her sweet-as-honey voice carry her words straight into his heart.

"I know so" Charley smiled sweetly as she slowly lowered her eyes and then raised them to meet his smoldering gaze.

Throttle looked at Charley through his sunglasses. He always felt that she put up a tough front for show but there were times, such as this, that she appeared very innocent and delicate.

He knew Vinnie bragged about being with Charley but, to look at her, Throttle realized it was all hot air. He had a hunch that she had not been with anyone in that way. If she had, it would have been Asphalt Jack and not Vinnie.

Throttle knew more about Vinnie's bedroom exploits than he cared to know, compliments of his past misadventures with the female species telling him the horror stories of "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am".

Modo had a steady girlfriend named Aurora. She basically had to twist Modo's tail around hers in order to get him to ask her out. Throttle laughed when Modo's face turned ten shades of red at the fact that she confronted him in the hallway and told him that she wanted to go out with him Friday night. It took the big guy a minute to figure out that she asked him out and he accepted the invitation. After that, they were classified as an item and were never far apart from each other, unless they had separate classes.

"Hey! What's up?" Vinnie said as he came outside to finally see where Throttle and Charley were at. He knew that they had been sneaking around the past couple of months but, he didn't think it was anything serious. Mainly due to the fact that there were just good friends who needed someone else to talk to. But, somehow, he thought they looked a little guilty at this moment.

"Just talking about things that happened before the war" Charley told him honestly but still felt a twinge of guilt because she was discussing it with Throttle and not Vinnie.

"Hey, I could tell you things that would make your head spin and make you grow a tail" Vinnie was all fired up to share his details when Modo came outside.

"The washers have stopped" Modo stated. He could see that Vinnie was getting ready to be stupid with Throttle and Charley's blossoming romance. The last thing they needed was Vinnie's two cents worth put into the conversation and his dating advice.

"Thanks Modo" Charley said as she quickly excused herself from the possible conversation and made her way back into the laundromat to remove the clothes from the washing machines and place them into the dryers. Sighing, Charley tried to keep her calm disposition so this way she would not wring the annoying white-furred mouse's neck with his own tail. She could sometimes swear that he had ESP because he seemed to come in anytime the two of them were just starting to get close. Not that they were going to do anything but, it was just a matter that it would be nice to have a relaxing conversation with the fear of Vinnie knowing something that she did not want him to know.

_Perhaps it's for the best right now..._

Many cyber hugs to all those who read and reviewed this story so far.

Joyfull Scroll: Yes, this is a very rare pairing. I think that they would be a good match because when I saw Season One "Test of Friendship", there was a moment near the end when there appeared to be an emotional bond between the two of them. As for Chief Red Cloud. He was, in his younger years, quite a hell-raiser back in the mid 1800's. There is a small article on that web site that talks about his life and what he was famous for. I hope that helps. Again, thank you for your reviews.

Starreacher: Thank for your compliment on my writing style.

Kioa() : As long as my inspiration holds out and I don't forget to bring paper and pencil with me to work we'll be in good shape.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Dinner time

It took another hour and a half before all the laundry was completely dry. Vinnie stuck to Charley like glue, not giving Throttle any chance to have a private conversation with her. He kept asking her questions about the private conversations that they had over the past couple of months. Charley gritted her teeth and seethed with frustration over Vinnie's chatterbox antics until they arrived back at the garage and he had finally worked her last nerve.

"Vinnie! If you do no shut the hell up, I am going to stick my hand up your rectum and rip your testicles out through your anus. Do I make myself clear?" Charley came nose to nose with and let him have it.

Vinnie sheepishly backed away from the enraged female mechanic. He had seen her angry before but, never this angry. He couldn't figure out what exactly he did to make he so mad at him but, he figured she would come around later.

After that, she turned around, grabbed the laundry basket, and stormed into the garage.

"Looks like you pissed her off" Modo stated as he put his metal hand on Vinnie's shoulder.

He had to admit, Vinnie had it coming. For the past two hours, Vinnie had been nothing more that a nuisance for Charley. He had questioned her every move and her secret conversations with Throttle. Not that he truly had any reason to because they were no longer dating. Modo just shook his head and sighed at the young mouse's relentless pursuit of Charley when it was obvious that she did not reciprocate the same emotions.

"What did I do?" Vinnie questioned innocently, not understanding why Charley was threatening to take his family jewels away from him in a very painful manner.

"The usual" Throttle stated in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. He thought he was going to fall of his bike as he looked at his friend's stunned expression.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Vinnie still didn't get it.

"Don't worry about it" Modo said as he got off his bike and retrieved the basket.

"That would be your best bet" Throttle said as he finally unloaded himself and the laundry basket off of his bike.

Vinnie finally followed their lead and they brought the three baskets into the garage. After placing the baskets onto the couch, Vinnie and Modo went into the kitchen to get a root beer while Throttle assisted Charley with sorting the clothes.

"Charley?" Throttle hesitantly asked, seeing that she was still angry.

"Yeah, what's up?" Charley's tone of voice changed back to being peppy and happy.

"Do you think that maybe later on tonight, after the guys leave, that you could give me a haircut?" he was happy to see her back to her self again. He didn't like seeing her that angry because he knew that she could become unpredictable.

"Sure, I can do that" she loved Throttle's long golden blonde hair. It was incredibly soft and thick, just like the rest of him. She knew that anytime Throttle asked her for a favor she could never say no to him.

"Thanks. I think it's a bit overdue" he chuckled before becoming quiet as the other two walked into the living room. He could feel Vinnie as he stared a hole into Throttle, questioning him with his eyes.

"Well, since we still have a couple more hours until dinner time, why don't you three get your clothes put away and check up on Limburger. He's been too quiet these days" Charley mentioned as she handed each of the guys their stack of clothes.

"You know what? That sounds like a good idea. That stick fish has been missing in action for a while" Vinnie readily agreed, trying to get back into Charley's good graces. He had every intention of getting a second chance with her and agreeing with her sounded like a step in the right direction.

"Alright. Just make sure you guys are back here by six or you will have to make your own meal" Charley said as she drug her back of clothes upstairs and started putting them away.

She smiled to herself as she heard their bikes rev up and all three of them go off to do their macho male thing. She finally had the entire garage to herself for a few hours. After she put her clothes neatly away, Charley quickly wiped the dust off of her furniture and then made her bed. Taking a step back, she was finally happy to see her bedroom back in some semblance of order.

Looking over at the clock, she saw that it was three-thirty. She still had over two hours to herself. _Now what's a single gal like me suppose to do for the next two and half hours? _She questioned herself.

Her smile grew even larger as she realized that it had been a while since she had been able to soak in a nice warm bubble. Grabbing her black terry-cloth bathrobe out of the closet along with her pale blue satin slippers, Charley made her way to the bathroom, locked the door, and started up the bath water. Reaching under the sink, she pulled out her lavender scented bath bubbles and poured about three caps full into the warm running water. She knew that she had overdone the bubbles but, at that point, she could have cared less. She planned on relaxing without any disturbance from anyone.

She looked back under her sink and found her small radio. She plugged the radio into the wall outlet and began to search through the stations until she found exactly what she was looking for. Some good old fashioned NightWish:

_I wish I had an angel  
For one moment of love  
I wish I had your angel tonight_

Charley began to remove her work clothes and threw them into a pile. She could smell the sweet scent of lavender from the tub filling up the small room and it brought a large smile across her face.

_  
Deep into a dying day  
I took a step outside an innocent heart  
Prepare to hate me fall when I may  
This night will hurt you like never before  
_She closed the lid on the toilet and sat down. She groaned as she pulled off her brown leather boots. She didn't think that housework could make one sore, but it did._  
Old loves they die hard  
Old lies they die harder_

After pulling off her socks, Charley stood up and pulled her pants off. After tossing them into the small pile, she stripped off her underwear and bra and deposited them with the rest of her clothes.

_  
I wish I had an angel  
For one moment of love  
I wish I had your angel  
Your Virgin Mary undone  
I`m in love with my lust  
Burning angelwings to dust  
I wish I had your angel tonight_

After the tub was filled, she turned off the water and slid her body into the warm and very bubbly water. Charley giggled as some of the bubbles poured out into the floor.

_  
I`m going down so frail `n cruel  
Drunken disguise changes all the rules_

She was very thankful, at that moment, that the bathroom floor was sealed concrete. She knew that, if it was made out of wood, that the floor would definitely rot.

_  
Old loves they die hard  
Old lies they die harder_

Charley found herself singing to the music. She hoped that none of the guys showed up and decided to eavesdrop on her private moment.

_  
I wish I had an angel  
For one moment of love  
I wish I had your angel  
Your Virgin Mary undone  
I`m in love with my lust  
Burning angelwings to dust  
I wish I had your angel tonight_

Charley's private moments were so few and very far between. Especially with Vinnie poking his nose into her business.

_  
Greatest thrill  
Not to kill  
But to have the prize of the night  
Hypocrite  
Wannabe friend  
13th disciple who betrayed me for nothing!_

Now, if she was to be actually honest with herself, she wouldn't mind having Throttle hanging right outside the door. She found that she actually enjoyed his company and their long talks. She just wished that it had not been so soon since each of them became single individuals.

_  
Last dance, first kiss  
Your touch my bliss  
Beauty always comes with dark thoughts_

Charley couldn't count how many times over the last couple of days that they had come close to sharing their first kiss. _  
_

_[sighs and laughter]_

But, Vinnie always seemed to know when they were getting very close to each other.

_  
I wish I had an angel  
For one moment of love  
I wish I had your angel  
Your Virgin Mary undone  
I`m in love with my lust  
Burning angelwings to dust  
I wish I had your angel tonight_

They would get so close that Charley could feel his breath on her lips. Feel the heat of his mouth. She knew, deep in her heart, that Throttle would be one hell of a kisser.

_  
I wish I had an angel  
I wish I had an angel  
I wish I had an angel  
I wish I had an angel_

After washing her hair and body, Charley let the water out of the tub. She pulled her soft bathrobe on and wrapped it around her. As soon as she pulled her slippers on, Charley could hear the sound of her furry friends motorcycles pulling up.

As she opened the bathroom door, the garage door opened and the three of them pulled inside. Vinnie was the first one to comment on her new look.

"Wow babe. Whatcha ya got under there?" Vinnie commented.

"Nothing that you need to know about" Charley coolly stated as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Can't blame a mouse for trying" Vinnie shrugged his shoulders. Both Modo and Vinnie decided to put a movie in and relax while dinner was cooking.

"So, anything going on at the tower?" she asked as she placed a large pot of water onto the stove.

"Quiet as an Earth mouse over there" Throttle stated as grabbed a root beer out of the refrigerator.

"He's up to something. I just can't place my finger on it" Charley stated she pulled some bacon out of the fridge and sliced it up. Grabbing a pan, she placed the chopped bacon into it and started to cook it.

"I know what you mean" Throttle said as he watched Charley cook. It was while she was chopping up an onion that he realized that she literally had nothing on underneath her robe.

After she tossed the chopped onion into the pan with the bacon, Throttle came up behind her.

"Are you actually naked underneath this?" Throttle asked as he leaned over her shoulder and playfully tried to peak down the front of her robe. He could see a bit of bare flesh and that was it.

"Why do you ask?" Charley shyly smiled up at him.

"Because, I can tell you have nothing on underneath" Throttle said as he placed his hands on her shoulders and began to massage her back. He heard her moan as she leaned into him.

"You are correct in your assessment" Charley swore she had never had anyone rub her shoulders like that. She felt his hands move across her shoulders, down her back, and finally they wrapped around her waist. It felt good to be cared for like this. It also made her miss her mother and father. A small tear trickled down her cheek.

"Are you okay?' he felt her mood change and was getting ready to remove his arms from around her waist but, she simply turned around in them and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I was just thinking about my mom and dad. I just wish they were here right now but I know that's impossible" Charley looked up at Throttle, her eyes becoming red-rimmed.

"Go sit down and I'll finish making dinner" Throttle softly said as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Well, he thought it was going to be a quick peck but she turned her head. His lips finally touched hers for the first time and he loved it. Throttle buried one of his hands into her thick auburn hair while his other hand held her hips against his. He heard her moan with inexperienced passion as she tightened her arms around his neck, pulling her body closer to his. Throttle slid his tongue into her mouth and she reciprocated, mimicking his motions. He felt the tip of her tongue flick against his buck teeth and that would normally be enough to send him over the edge but, he had to back away. The last thing that either of them needed at that point was Vinnie walking into the kitchen and going into shock.

"I'm sorry" he tried to regain control of his breathing as he laid his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry that it wasn't that good" Charley was beginning to back away but felt Throttle's arm tighten around her waist.

"Sweetheart, it was better than good. It was awesome. You about drove me over the edge" he stated he placed a gentle peck against her lips. He looked into her eyes and saw that they were hazed over with desire.

"Go, you need to sit down before I do something that I don't need to be doing" he swallowed hard as he pulled his arms away from her.

"Like what?"

"Like taking an innocent young lady to bed for her first time. I can't do that to you. Not right now" he said as he watched Charley sit down at the kitchen table. He turned his attention to the stove and realized that she was making spaghetti carbonara. He loved this recipe and she remembered.

"How did you know?" Charley questioned.

"You reek of it. Everything about your actions reveals it" Throttle stated as he put the noodles into the pot of boiling water and then stirred them.

"I thought Vinnie told you guys that he..." her voice trailed off.

"He did but, you weren't changed by it so I put it together and realized that he was just full of hot air with you. Besides, I think you would have told me by now if you two had been together" Throttle smiled as he continued to stir the onions and bacon around in the pan.

"True" she lowered her eyes and then looked back up at him with a small smile.

About fifteen minutes later, Charley was calling the other two guys into the kitchen for dinner. As usual, they came running in, knocking things over as they went.

This time, Modo won the seat beside Charley and she was grateful for that. She didn't think that she could handle anymore Vinnie for the rest of the day.

* * *

I hope everyone is enjoying this story so far. Many thanks to those who have read and reviewed this story and for those who have just read the story, many thanks for taking the time to read it.


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